- Title: Peru congress commission votes to fight dissolution by Vizcarra
- Date: 3rd October 2019
- Summary: LIMA, PERU (OCTOBER 2, 2019) (REUTERS) PERMANENT COMMISSION OF PERUVIAN CONGRESS IN SESSION PERUVIAN PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS, PEDRO OLAECHEA, OPENING SESSION LEGISLATORS IN CONGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PERUVIAN CONGRESSMAN FROM THE 'POPULAR FORCE' PARTY, HECTOR BERRECIL, SAYING: "We are not in a permanent commission of a dissolved congress, we are in a permanent commission of a valid congress and we have all the authorities that the law and the constitution grant us as functioning Members of Congress of the Republic. Let that be very clear." VARIOUS, LEGISLATORS AROUND TABLES VARIOUS, LEGISLATORS OPPOSED TO VOTE DEPARTING PERUVIAN CONGRESSMAN FROM THE 'BROAD FRONT' PARTY COALITION, MARCO ARANA, SPEAKING TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE LEGISLATIVE CHAMBER (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PERUVIAN CONGRESSMAN FROM THE 'BROAD FRONT' PARTY COALITION, MARCO ARANA, SAYING: "The leadership of the permanent commission is committing a constitutional infraction given that the congress is already dissolved by constitutional and institutional means. The National Elections Board has already convened general elections for January 26, 2020, but the Fujimorists (Popular Force party members), the APRA (American Popular Revolutionary Alliance party members) and their allies continue to obstruct justice and continue in an illegal and unconstitutional situation which is unacceptable." VARIOUS, PERMANENT COMMISSION MEMBERS VOTING OLAECHEA READING RESULTS OF VOTE APPROVING REQUEST TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO INTERVENE AND HALT THE DISSOLUTION OF CONGRESS (NOT A SOUNDBITE) PERMANENT COMMISSION IN SESSION
- Embargoed: 17th October 2019 02:50
- Keywords: Peru congress legislature lawmakers commission dissolve President Martin Vizcarra constitutional crisis
- Location: LIMA, PERU
- City: LIMA, PERU
- Country: Peru
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZJLO3R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Peru's ongoing constitutional crisis deepened on Wednesday (October 2) as members of the "permanent commission" of Peru's congress voted to request the country's constitutional court to annul the dissolution of congress by President Martin Vizcarra.
After legislators allied with Vizcarra walked out, the congress approved the measure even as the country's institutions, including Peru's electoral board which has scheduled new elections for January 26, 2020, moved forward without the opposition.
The vote occurred only two days after rebel lawmakers swore in Vice President Mercedes Araoz as the country's interim leader only to have her turn around and renounce her claim Tuesday (October 1) after a public outcry.
Araoz's step-down marked a major blow for the opposition. They had declared Vizcarra suspended on the grounds he had violated the constitution in his push to strong-arm lawmakers into backing his anti-graft proposals.
Vizcarra has said he had no choice but to invoke a nuclear option in Peru's constitution to call new legislative elections, saying he preferred to let voters weigh in on his year-long push to get Congress to pass his anti-graft reforms.
Graft scandals have tainted judges, lawmakers and four former presidents in recent years, and the opposition-run Congress has emerged as one of Peru's most unpopular institutions.
(Production: Carlos Valdez) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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